Hermione's Story
by andeisawesome
Summary: Follow Hermione from accidental magic to acceptance at Hogwarts to fight Voldemort. This is a story that will focus a lot on the moment that we don't see in the books. I will try to fill in a lot her backstory and experience coming in as a muggle. Very Canon Compliant. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I will try to take us through the whole story with Hermione. I am not J.K. Rowling, and I do not own anything Harry Potter related. I hope you enjoy!

November 1, 1985,

A bushy-haired girl of 6 sat sullenly in the back seat of her parent's car. Her purple backpack tossed on the seat beside her looked far too cheerful for the mood she was in. She tried to push it to the floor of the car, but her chubby arms couldn't reach past the side of her car seat and she screamed her frustration. The girl's mother looked concern. It was rare for her daughter to act out like this.

"Hermione, why don't you try telling me one more time, what happened?"

Hermione sniffed and swiped at her leaky eyes.

"Mum, I wasn't doing anything wrong. I was just reading ahead a bit. Ernie Steadson let me borrow his book. He's in year 3. Lisa tattleded on me." Hermione said. For once, she did not have perfect grammar because she was so upset.

"Dear, that hardly sounds like a reason for you to get in trouble, and I am pretty sure you are leaving out the flames that were mentioned in this note from your teacher." Hermione's mother countered. She was really having trouble understanding the events of the day.

"Well, Mrs. Wigglestone wasn't happy. She told me I wasn't allowed to read ahead. She put a new workbook for my year on my desk 'cause I had already finished mine. She told me I could start over..Then..it sorta burst into blue flames? She yelled at me about playing with fire, and I might have yelled back a bit because I DIDN'T play with fire." Herminone finished, indignantly crossing her arms with a small pout.

Hermione's mother sighed. She wanted to believe her daughter. The young girl rarely lied, and she could see it plainly on her face that she didn't think she had done anything wrong. The trouble was, however, that strange things often seemed to happen around Hermione. This wasn't the first note that had been sent home, and she worried that if she continued to ignore them she would be a neglectful parent. Mrs. Granger steeled herself for what she was going to have to say next. She desperately wished her husband was with her, but he had stayed late with a patient from their shared dental practice.

"Hermione, I am going to have to ground you. These are very serious claims from your teacher, and I have to know that you understand them. I'm taking away your book for one week." Mrs. Granger sighed. She hated taking away books from her little girl, but they had learned long ago that that was the punishment that worked best.

By the time Mrs. Granger pulled up on their red rock driveway, Hermione was staring resolutely out the window refusing to speak to her. Mr. Granger, who had barely beaten them home, grinned as tiny feet flew past him and slammed the upstairs door.

"Long day dear?" He asked pulling his wife to him for a quick kiss.

"Her teacher believes that she set her workbook on fire. Hermione, of course, swears she didn't do it and I believe her but…" She let the rest of the sentence drop. Both of them knew that the things that happened around their daughter were not easily explained.

"I took away Matilda for the rest of the week."

"Oh, that will be fun. It is going to be a long week, but at least her room is filled with other books that she can read. I don't think I would like to see my daughter without easy access to the written word. She is angry enough when you just take away the current favorite."

"So, what do you think happened today? Hermione said the flames were blue… but that can't be right"

"I doubt we will ever know." Mr. Granger answered. He placed the prized Matilda up high on the mantelpiece and the two of them tried to let the matter drop from their minds. They were never quite successful though. They were both highly intelligent people who love their little girl. It would take many years before they found out the answer.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I own nothing. Enjoy!

June 2, 1991

Years passed, but the unanswered questions only grew for the Grangers. Hermione had turned 11, and she was a smarter and kinder daughter than anyone could ask for. She wasn't very happy though. Her intellect would have always put distance between Hermione and her peers but the strange and unexplainable things that often happened around her made her classmates fear her.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger worried. Their daughter had such a solitary lifestyle. She had skipped 2 years at school which made her younger and smaller than anyone in her class. Hermione had been so excited though, to learn more. Hermione's room, which had once been full of fairy tales and fiction was bursting with books on every subject from metaphysics to sign language to calculus. Hermione's bushy hair could just be seen popping out of a rather large tomb about unexplained phenomena. Hermione was once again trying to find some answers. Hermione didn't really believe in this stuff, but the fact didn't lie. The book that her teacher had taken away from her and locked in her cabinet had appeared back in her bag by the end of the day. She wasn't sure how else to explain that.

Hermione's reverie was broken by the familiar jingle of her doorbell, and her mother's light footsteps as she padded over to the door. Hermione was surprised to see a stern-looking woman in a dark green cloak standing on her porch. She curiously walked downstairs while her parents' greeted the stranger in confusion. The woman, whose hair was tightly pinned back in bun, introduced herself as a delegate from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hermione expected her parents to politely turn the stranger away, but they were looking intrigued at the stack of papers she was brandishing.

"I'm here about Hermione Jean Granger. She has been selected as a student for our rather exclusive boarding school where she can learn all about witchcraft. I believe Ms. Granger will be an excellent fit for Hogwarts."

To her astonishment, Hermione's parents invited the stranger inside. Hermione walked into the living room.

"I'm Hermione Granger. I'm afraid you must be mistaken though. There really isn't any such thing as witchcraft, and I'm certainly not going to be a witch. I want to go into politics"

"Well, Ms. Granger, I'm sure you have many questions. First of all, you are a witch and magic does exist. There are many witches and wizards living in secret all over the world. I am Professor McGonagall, a teacher at Hogwarts. Let me demonstrate."

The professor pulled a long spindly stick out of her cloak and began to wave it around all while saying a few words in a language that Hermione didn't recognize. Her parents' looked dubiously at the woman, but that soon shifted into shock as every eye fell to the kitchen table. An innocent basket that had been full of freshly baked blueberry scones turned into an assortment of mewing kittens. Professor McGonagall smiled as she pet one of the kittens and waved the stick again so that they all turned back into normal-looking pastries.

"Hope you don't mind if I indulge." The Professor said with a smile as she picked up one formerly feline scones and bit into it with a mischievous smile.

Hermione's parents both looked a bit faint as they sunk into the waiting plaid plush of their living room couch. Hermione, however, had questions.

"I don't mean to offend you, Professor McGonagall, but that could have just been some sort of illusion. Can you give me any more proof that magic exists?"

In the end it took Professor McGonagall levitating all of the pictures in the room, turning the teacups pink, and conducting a tap dance with the decorative pillows before Hermione accepted the possibility that magic was real.

"Now that that is settled, I have some rather important mail for you."

Professor McGonagall handed over a thick yellow envelope addressed to Ms. Hermione Jean Granger from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hermione's hands shook slightly as she broke the seal and found a letter inviting her to Hogwarts. Behind the letter was a list of supplies that caused Hermione to raise an eyebrow. She didn't know anywhere in London that she could find a wand or a cauldron.

"There is a place called Diagon Alley that wizards go to shop. It is hidden from muggles, or non-magical people, and you can find everything you need there. I can take you and your parents later this week."

Professor McGonagall went over an extensive list of questions that Hermione had. Her parents chimed in occasionally with questions about school rankings or living arrangements, but Hermione seemed determined learn about the whole of wizard society in the few hours that she was there. Professor McGonagall had never had such an inquisitive pupil. She began to explain about the house system at Hogwarts.

"There are four Hogwarts Houses. Every student is sorted into one, and it is a little bit like your family while you are at school. You will sleep in your house dormitory and go to class with your housemates. Gryffindor was my house. It is known for the students who show exemplary amounts of bravery. The students who will fight for the rights of others. You said you were interested in politics. Gryffindor might be the place for you. The other three are Slytherin for the very cunning, Ravenclaw for those who love learning, and Hufflepuff for those who are very loyal. In each house you will find students who value similar qualities to you."

Hermione listened eagerly to every bit of information about Hogwarts. She loved the idea of houses where she could find other students like herself. Hermione didn't admit it very often, but she was lonely. Hogwarts sounded like a dream, but her mother's crocheted pillow was still hopping rhythmically in the corner so she was having a hard time dismissing magic. Once Hermione accepted that magic existed, however, it wasn't so hard for her to believe that she had it. Hermione had been searching for answers for years, and it looked like she had finally found them.

"But what about after school?" Her father was asking. "What sort of jobs can someone expect to get after an education of spells or potions?"

"There are many job opportunities in the wizarding community, and most of our graduates are able to easily find a career that suits them. However, if a student was interested in working a job in the muggle community we can supply the necessary transcripts so that there will be no uncomfortable questions asked. Wizards have many jobs available to them such as Healers, working at the Ministry of Magic, or working with magical creatures."

"Oh" Both of Hermione's parents were looking a little bit dazed again.

"Can I assume then, that Hermione will be attending?" Professor McGonagall asked in a business-like voice.

"I suppose that is up to her." Mrs. Granger replied carefully watching her 11-year-old daughter. She didn't want to send her away for most of the year, but she couldn't deny that Hermione was different.

Hermione took a deep and steadying breath. It would be hard to leave her parents for months at a time, but now that she knew about the magical world she was desperate to learn more. Hermione wanted to know everything.

"I'll go, and I guess we will see you Friday to go to Diagon Alley." She said quietly.

Professor McGonagall smiled as she let herself out of the Grangers house. She was surprised by how well the girl had taken it and how many questions she had had. Most prospective students hid behind their parents while decisions were made for them, but Hermione was different. Professor McGonagall supposed it was a bit wrong to sell Gryffindor to her so much, but she could certainly use a girl like that in her house. She was still smiling as she disappeared with a small pop. Hermione started as she stared at the place where the professor had been standing moments ago. She had a feeling that her life would never be the same.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I own nothing. I had to go over a lot of what we already know about Diagon Alley with Hermione, but it was still fun. I can't wait to write about her first trip on the train before she meets the boys. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

June 7, 1991,

Hermione was awake several hours before it was required on the Friday that Professor McGonagall would be taking her to Diagon Alley. In some ways, Hermione felt like this trip was what would make the magic real. Hermione kept waiting to find out that it had all been an elaborate dream, but her parents would quietly reassure her that they had seen it all too. Truth be told, her parents had to reassure each other many times that week as well.

For once, Hermione was not able to concentrate on her books. She kept jumping up and pulling back the thick red curtains to see if Professor McGonagall had arrived yet. Her parents gave Hermione a bemused look as she rushed to the window one more time to check for any sign of the Professor.

"A watched pot never— " Hermione's mother was cut short from her admonition. Mrs. Granger had turned to find herself staring at a large tabby cat perched on their kitchen table. The Grangers did not own a cat. The startled Grangers began to shoo the cat out of their house, when it leapt into the air and morphed seamlessly into Professor McGonagall. Hermione was beside herself with excitement.

"Can I learn how to do that at Hogwarts?"

"That is called being an animagi. It is extremely difficult and there are very few of us in the world. You might be able to learn, but it takes many years of practice. It is an advanced form of transfiguration, which is the subject I teach. Are we all ready to go?"

"Yes" the Grangers answered as one, and they were finally able to leave the house. Professor McGonagall led the way, and the little group walked to the nearest Underground station. She peered rather carefully at her money before she finally handed over the correct amount to the ticket carriers. The ride on the Underground was short, and Professor McGonagall was ushering the family out of station before they knew it.

Hermione was surprised when they arrived outside of a grubby-looking pub. It hardly seemed like the kind of place to be housing a wizard market. Both of her parents put a casual hand protectively on her shoulders. They were once more overcome with doubts about the whole situation. Professor McGonagall did not look at all concerned with the shabby atmosphere or about the fact that a man in an emerald cloak just exited the pub with a drink that was literally smoking.

She just beckoned the family inside the bar with a quick "This way please."

"Morning Professor McGonagall!" A small man said behind the bar. He smiled widely at Hermione, and she was startled to discover that he was largely toothless. Hermione's parents smiled uncomfortably at the man, and she knew they were fighting the urge to offer to work on his teeth. Professor McGonagall led them past the small crowd of people to a small courtyard that was surrounded by a brick wall.

"Pay attention please, this is how you get into Diagon Alley."

The Grangers were looking around for some sort of entrance when the professor pulled out that long, knobbly stick and began tapping the wall.

"You want to tap the brick that is three bricks up and two bricks across. Of course, you must tap it with your wand, or it won't do you any good."

"Your wand? Will I get to choose a wand today?" Hermione queried. She had been very interested to see a wand mentioned on her school supplies list.

"The wand chooses the witch, but yes, we will be picking up a wand today" Professor McGonagall answered, but Hermione's attention had been taken over by passageway that formed out of the brick wall. A cobblestone street reached out of the archway and ran further than Hermione could see. Buildings of all shapes and sizes were crammed alongside the street, and there was such a mixture of people in extraordinary garments.

Men and Women of all ages and ethnicities were walking by in colorful cloaks. Many had pointed hats or owls. They spoke loudly about things like knuts or goblins, and Hermione felt that she had entered another world. The entire area screamed magic. The Grangers watched their daughter soak in the magic with such apparent joy, and for the first time, felt a pang of sadness. It was clear that their child would be going places that they would be unable to follow.

"First, we need to convert some of your money so that you are able to buy things. The wizarding world has an entirely different monetary system so we will make a quick stop at Gringotts, the wizarding bank." Professor McGonagall led them to an enormous white building that shown in the marketplace. Large brass doors glinted in the morning sun, and Professor McGonagall led the way inside. Extravagant doors that seemed to be made of silver were at the end of the entranceway and a poem that warned against thieves was carved into them. Hermione shivered a bit when she finished reading it. She didn't think she ever wanted to be in trouble with the management of this bank.

The bank was full of small people with long crooked fingers and feet. Most were smaller than Hermione, and had lengthy beards. Hermione tried to smile politely at them, but they just watched her with an air of distrust. She wondered if they were perhaps not quite human. Professor McGonagall marched unconcernedly over the counter marked Muggle Exchange and began speaking to Hermione's parents about the conversion rates. Apparently 4 pounds were close to one Galleon which was a large gold coin. There were 17 silver sickles in a Galleon and 29 knuts to a sickle. Hermione's father muttered something about that being an over-complicated financial system and Professor McGonagall sighed quietly. She had secretly agreed for years.

Hermione and her parents left the bank with the considerably heavier wizard money. She was given a small pouch of coins that would be hers to keep for spending money. Hermione's eyes went lovingly over to a bookshop called Flourish and Blotts, but Professor McGonagall pushed them towards a small and rather shabby shop that was labelled Ollivander's in peeling letters.

"Let's get your wand now. It can take a while, and this place does become packed later on." McGonagall said. She opened the door to reveal a tiny building with towering piles of narrow boxes. A tiny white-haired man was bustling around a boy and his mother.

"I do believe we found the perfect wand for you Seamus." The man told the boy quietly.

"Mum. I finally have a wand of my own!" The child exclaimed waving the new wand excitedely. Small sparks erupted from the tip and caught the edge of the old man's cloak on fire. He doused it with a small frown, and began pushing the pair towards the door.

"Well, looks like we have another Hogwarts newcomer, and Minerva McGonagall. Fir and Dragon Heartstring, 9 and ½ inches, and quite firm. Still treating you well I suppose?"

"Very well, yes, Ollivander. We are just here to get Ms. Granger a wand."

The boy, Seamus, left the store with his mother and a small wave at Hermione. She was excited to see another first year student, even if it had only been for a moment. She wondered if they would become friends. Hermione soon became distracted, however, as Mr. Ollivander removed a tape measure from his pocket, and it began vigorously measuring by itself. The Grangers watched helplessly as the tape measure flew around their daughter's arms and measured every knuckle on her hands. Mr. Ollivander finally placed it back in the pocket of his robes when it began to measure the distance between each of Hermione's curls. He pulled out several boxes of wands for Hermione to try, and instructed her to just wave them around in the air.

Mr. Ollivander snatched both of the first two wands quickly away from Hermione and explained about the various cores used in true Ollivander wands. He had just begun talking about Dragon Hearstring when the wand in Hermione's hand felt comfortably warm. It seemed like she was connecting with something real, and a trail of blue smoke whipped out of the end of the wand. Hermione's parents applauded.

"Very Good indeed. Dragon Heartstring, ten and ¾ inches, and made out of vine wood." Mr. Ollivander said with excitement.

Hermione had to keep convincing herself that she was not dreaming of an elaborate fairy tale. That was her magic wand that her parents were carefully purchasing with the help of Professor McGonagall. Hermione proudly carried the velvet-lined box with her new wand into the next store which was an apothecary. She purchased all of the potion ingredients needed for first year Hogwarts students, and a large cauldron for potion-making.

Professor McGonagall next led them to Madam Malkin's robe shop, where a kindly woman began to measure Hermione for her school robes. She had never worn robes before, and she wondered how comfortable they would be. Hermione was curiously fingering the dark fabric, when she overheard to women talking by a rack of lacy robes that was labelled Dress Robes in an ornate font.

"I'm telling you, Bertha, Harry Potter is going to Hogwarts this year. I wish my boy could go to Hogwarts this year. Can you imagine being the classmate of the boy who defeated you-know-who?"

"Well, It's not like he would remember it, dear." The other woman answered. "Besides, we still don't know how the boy did it. I'm not sure I would want my child associating with him."

"You may have a point there, but however he did it, he ended the wizarding wars. I'm on his side."

Both women bustled out, and Hermione was left in deep thought about the wizarding war and a boy called Harry Potter. She realized that she desperately needed to learn some history about this world as well. Hermione wasn't sure that she would ever be able to catch up to the people that were raised as witches and wizards, and she began to worry about being born as a muggle. She was quiet as they made their way to their final stop, but she soon forgot her worries.

Professor McGonagall had finally led them back to Flourish and Blotts. The bookstore was full of chattering witches and wizards that looked over books of every size. Hermione wanted to read all of them.

"I thought you and your family might like some time to explore the bookstore by yourself, and I really must be going. I trust that you can find your way back out of Diagon Alley? You just tap the same brick three times. I'm looking forward to seeing you in class Miss Granger" Professor McGonagall made sure that the family would be able to find their way back home before disappearing with a small pop.

The Grangers were overwhelmed with the bookstore. They stayed until the sun was setting on the little street and the shop owner was ushering everyone out. Hermione got all of her textbooks and a large sack of books on other subjects such as the history of the wizarding world or magical creatures. Her parents even left the store with a small stack of books themselves, including What to Do When Your Child is Magical: A Guide to the Wizarding World for Muggle Parents. Hermione couldn't wait to get home and read all of the books. Her hands traced the embossed leatherbound title of Wizarding Wonders: A Compendium of the 28 Wizarding Wonders of the World the whole way home.


	4. Chapter 4

September 1, 1991

Hermione was up way earlier than she needed to be to catch the train to Hogwarts. In fact, she never actually went to bed, but stayed up late whispering spells to herself and trying to get every wand movement right. She had already read the Standard Book of Spells many times, and had memorized most of the contents. Hermione was still afraid she would be behind though. She knew that some people believed that she didn't even belong at Hogwarts, because she wasn't from a pure-blood family. She had read all about the "muggle-born controversy" in a Recent History of Magical Britain.

Her parents knocked softly on her door at 5 a.m. Hermione threw back the covers and nearly tripped over her over-packed trunk. She rushed to get dressed, her hands fingered the glossy black fabric of her new cloaks lovingly, but she donned her usual jeans and t-shirt. Hermione had read all of the rules at least 3 times, and she knew that she needed to stay in her muggle clothes until she was on the train. The International Statute of Secrecy was a big deal, and Hermione was already a little paranoid that she would accidentally break a rule and be expelled from Hogwarts.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger were in the hallway outside her bedroom looking at the family pictures when she walked out of the room. A tiny frizzy-haired Hermione was seen laughing and hugging her parents in a large frame in the middle of the hall. Hermione slipped her arms around her mother's waist in a brief hug as she joined them. Part of her suddenly wished that she could stay that little girl and live at home a while longer. It suddenly dawned on Hermione that she really was saying goodbye not only to her parents, but to the muggle life she used to lead. She smiled a bit sadly when she had used the word muggle so naturally, maybe she had already said goodbye.

The family was quiet as they got Hermione's luggage and headed for the London station. They arrived nearly an hour early because they had been so worried about traffic, and they sat together in the car making sure that Hermione had packed everything she needed.

"I know that Professor McGonagall said that phones wouldn't work there, and we don't really understand the postal system so you will have to write to us first. Professor McGonagall said that you would be able to use the school owls, and we can reply with the same owl so send them as often as you can…"

"I will Mum. I will send one this first week and tell you all about my classes. I've read all about it. Apparently, the owls receive some magical training and know how to get to whatever address you put on the letter. It is really quite ingenious."

Mr. Granger tousled his daughter's hair and opened the trunk with a sigh. This was harder than he thought it would be.

"I reckon it is time we get a move on girls…" He said and began pulling Hermione's luggage towards the station. The three Grangers looked furtively about as they pushed their way towards the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. It seemed strange that everyone else here was going about their normal day. Professor McGonagall had been very clear that Hermione would be able to go through to the platform if she walked briskly towards it. The two of them should be able to immediately follow. Hermione looked up at her mother nervously. It seemed rather a lot to ask her to walk directly into a brick wall. She straightened her shoulders and clutched the ticket for the Hogwarts Express more tightly in her hand as she ran at the barrier.

Hermione had the oddest sensation of sliding through butter, and she realized that she was through the barrier and onto an already packed platform. A scarlet steam engine that was waiting to take them away glinted in the light. It looked freshly polished, and thick smoke was already being blown around the platform. Hermione's parents appeared behind her with her luggage in hand. Mr. Granger and Mrs. Granger were completely silent as they took in the absolute sense of magic that surrounded the platform. Families dressed in every sort of clothing prepared to say goodbye to their children over a din of screeching owls and yowling cats. An elderly woman, who held the hand of a sniffling boy, seemed to be wearing an entire stuffed vulture on her head.

A set of very pretty twins, who seemed to be close to Hermione's age, helped her to load her trunk onto a compartment near the back of the train. Mr. and Mrs. Granger smiled when Hermione dashed back out to them to say goodbye.

"They seem like quite nice girls, dear" Mrs. Granger murmured. She brushed aside a stray frizzy lock of her daughter's hair. It was nice to see that Hermione was already starting to make friends. Hermione had sorely needed friends in her life. Everything that had needed to be said had been talked about in the weeks leading up to Hermione's departure. Hermione gave them both strong hugs that they returned for a long moment and then softly whispered "Love you" as she headed onto the train.

The Grangers watched their strong, beautiful daughter board the scarlet train without looking back. Inside she met the twins again in their brightly colored dresses. They walked with her to the compartment where they had stored their trunks and saw that the quiet sniffling boy from the platform was already there. A brown-haired girl was seated by the boy, and their compartment was comfortably full as the train began to woosh into motion.


End file.
